The man who worked as a maintenance technician for a now closed Freefall Ride at Icon Park in Orlando claims that in the weeks after the teenager fell to his death in March 2022, the safety issues of the ride were ignored.
In a lawsuit filed Wednesday, former engineer Austin Campbell Alexander said he noticed a “safety issue” in the “seat and overall structural integrity” of the Free Fall Tower around January 2022.
The lawsuit will be filed against Orlando Eagle Drop Things Shot, the owner and operator of the ride, and other affiliates rather than Icon Park.
According to a lawsuit obtained by Fox 35 Orlando, the original technology “learned that the seats associated with free fall rides are manually bypassed by one of the operations managers.”
The manager was reportedly using replacement sensors in two seats to allow them to “accommodate larger patrons across certain height and weight limits.”
“This kind of override was intentionally and generally dangerous as the manufacturer of freefall rides sets weight and height restrictions on riders,” the lawsuit states.
Fox News Digital previously reported that the riding manual stated that the maximum passenger weights just over 286 pounds.
Campbell-Alexander said it had reported “illegal and unsafe practice” to its supervisors, although there are “continuous operations” other than manufacturer guidelines.
He also reported that he had no training in his status as a maintenance technique, and believed it was the same for other employees who were responsible for “safe operation/maintenance of the safety of the patron or the ride itself.”
According to the lawsuit, there were several moments when safety issues occurred during the ride, but the ride remained “when it should have been closed to ensure patronage safety.”
In March 2022, Campbell-Alexander said he and another employee realized that the metal cylinders for locking the rider in the seat could not secure the seat properly because it was “too hot.”
A few days later they also noticed a crack in the joints of the gondola.
Sampson fell into his death on March 24, 2022. Because he was over the limits of his ride at 6-foot-5 and about 360 pounds, so he didn't latch his seat when the ride dropped 400 feet at speeds of over 75 miles.
During an investigation after Sampson's death, Campbell Alexander said he was asked to “sign off to blank maintenance logs and specific maintenance tasks” as if he and his colleagues had performed them.
He said he opposed “injust affirmation” of performing a particular task.
He said he continued his leave while the defendant attempted to settle a civil suit with Sampson's family, and once that was resolved, he was fired on March 31, 2023.
The law firm representing Orlando Eagle Drop Slingshot sent a statement on Campbell-Alexander's lawsuit to Fox 35, claiming that the original technology was the person who adjusted the sensors on board, resulting in his shooting.
“Our clients immediately investigated the tragic accident that led to the death of Tire Sampson. When they discovered that Campbell Alexander had adjusted the sensor that caused the accident, he was relieved to be further involved and accessed to any ride.”
“When we learned of the conduct of Campbell Alexander and other employees, we actively notified investigators. We worked tirelessly to resolve the lawsuits and allegations with Tyre's family.
